INA, Ill. (May 6, 2017) - The man that holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Board of Trustees member has a pretty firm grip on the honor considering his 35 years of service outpace his nearest competition by an astounding 12-year gap.
Marvin Scott, a farmer and small businessman out of Belle Rive has seen a thing or two during his three-and-a-half decades as an RLC Trustee. Originally appointed in 1978 to replace Dr. Clyde Funkhouser (Mt. Vernon), Scott now boasts a longevity that only a handful of Trustees statewide can equal.
Following his appointment in 78, Scott won his first seat on the board the following year, and then proceeded to get re-elected five more times until he decided not to run again in 2013, at the age of 82.
Longevity aside, Scott might be best known for his willingness to be involved with the campus as much as possible. He was known to attend almost every board meeting and made a concentrated effort to be present at many other college functions.
芒鈧揑 don芒鈧劉t think very many have received an award that I haven芒鈧劉t been there,芒鈧� Scott said. 芒鈧揑f our instructors or someone at the college has put in the time and work to get an award, then I芒鈧劉m going to put in the time to be there. I just want to be there.芒鈧�
For his service to the college, Scott another of the exclusive crowd to have a piece of campus named for them. In 2013, then Board Chairman Bryan Drew unveiled a plaque designating the 芒鈧揗arvin W. Scott Executive Board Room芒鈧� on the second floor of the Student Center.
Scott modestly said, 芒鈧揑 appreciate this, but that芒鈧劉s not what I芒鈧劉ve been here 33 years for.芒鈧�
Marvin Scott at the unveiling of the plaque for the 芒鈧揗arvin W. Scott Executive Board Room." Click on the image for a larger view.
His mission was simple, to help people go to college and get an education.
芒鈧揑 think we芒鈧劉ve improved our options over the years,芒鈧� he said. 芒鈧揟hings have changed for the better. Education is changing for the better.芒鈧�
芒鈧揥e芒鈧劉ve got some dedicated people. I see some real hard dedication in our teachers who do the job over and above. Just look at our maintenance [department]. I tell people, you go [on campus] and just stand still for a while. One or more of them will end up going by you. If they are going to give their time and extra effort, so am I. A good Board has to do its job.芒鈧�
RLC wasn芒鈧劉t the only place Scott made an impact on the Illinois community college community. He was one of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association芒鈧劉s (ICCTA) most dedicated and decorated members, acting as the eyes and ears of RLC at the state level.
In 2013, Scott received the recognition from the ICCTA with a 35-year Trustee Award. He is also a five-time recipient of the ICCTA Trustee Education Award (2012, 2009, 2005, 2002 and 2001), and in 2013, he was also presented with the organization芒鈧劉s Certification of Merit Award, and honor 芒鈧損resented to individuals who have made a significant contribution to ICCTA, the Illinois System or a member college. He was nominated for the Harstein Trustee Achievement Award in 2006.
芒鈧揑n this world there are never too many gentlemen and it芒鈧劉s always a pleasure to meet a gentleman. That芒鈧劉s Marvin,芒鈧� past ICCTA President Warfel said. 芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s been a real pleasure and honor to sit at the table with a real gentleman.芒鈧�
Scott acted as RLC芒鈧劉s proxy to the ICCTA for almost two decades. He took over as the college芒鈧劉s rep in 1997. He credited his open schedule for longevity with the organization, saying that he had the time to make it work and be involved. But, he always made a point to get fellow board members or college officials involved when possible.
As RLC芒鈧劉s ICCTA Representative, Scott went to meetings and seminars on the regional, state and national levels throughout the year and reported back to the full board about what he learned.
芒鈧揗arvin valued the importance of the people at the college and those that it serves. It didn芒鈧劉t matter if you were in the President芒鈧劉s Office of the Physical Plant, Marvin knew who you were and what you did,芒鈧� said RLC President Terry Wilkerson.
Scott has been a part of giving the gift of education to thousands. But he never went to college himself. He married his wife Vivian when he was 19 and she was just two weeks out of high school. They worked together at a factory in Rockford for a while and he served two years in the U.S. Army芒鈧劉s 101st Airborne Division, spending 18 months as a personnel office clerk in Germany. They bought her father芒鈧劉s part of the Hamson Feed Store after Marvin was discharged.
In addition to representing RLC on the ICCTA Executive Committee, Scott formerly served several terms on the Belle Rive Village Board, 15 years on the Hamilton County Telephone Cooperative Board and multiple terms on the Jefferson County Board. He is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and served many years on the Belle Rive School Board. He also served on the Belle Rive Saddle Club Board, Mt. Vernon Township High School Agriculture Advisory Board and is a former USDA Farm Service Director.